Once Upon a Washcloth
by KissDaGirl
Summary: Basically a Cinderella story. A poor girl, Brooke, has to work for a stuck up Prince, Nick, and isn't happy, will their feelings ever change? There's some bad language, so beware.
1. Arriving at the Castle

"Your highness? Your highness... Is his majesty in here?" one of the many servants walked through the prince's vast quarters, in search of him. "Your highness' father, his Royal Majesty, King Robert VI requires your presence expediently," the servant told the empty room why the prince was needed, as though that would bring him to the room. "Your majesty, please make yourself known!" (Or they'll have my ass) she muttered in and undertone.  
  
She heard a door click almost silently shut, and she spun around. "Your majesty!" she called. She heard him sigh, and watched him turn around.  
  
"What is it?" The tone he used was very reluctant, and she knew she caught him as he was sneaking out.  
  
"Your father, the king, requires your majesty's presence immediately, in the west wing corridor." The servant made special care to speak formally. One wrong move could cost her, her life.  
  
"That will be all." The prince turned away, clearly dismissing her. She obliged, curtsying as she left and saying "yes your majesty" humbly.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Ah, my son. You finally decide to join us. The servant must have been slow. A good beating should get her moving, don't you think?" the king regarded the prince, as though waiting for him to say something. Instead, the prince shrugged, and looked around.  
  
"Now dear, I don't think that that will solve the problem. Our son just seems to have a natural lack of punctuality. I know just how to solve the problem!" the queen turned her gaze form her husband to her son. "We will get you a personal maid. She can clean up for you and run your personal errands."  
  
"Mother, I really must object--"  
  
"Don't waist your time, I have made up my mind." The queen cut him off smoothly. She watched him roll his eyes, and chose to ignore it. "Now, on to why we called you here."  
  
"We will be having visitors. The princess' Roxanne and Renee, from The Kingdom of the Toadstools. It's just to the right of our boarder. They are good looking girls, form what I have heard. You will enjoy their company, eh, eh?" the king nudged his son, trying to get him to see his point. The prince just nodded, and made his way out.  
  
"Well, he took that better than I thought," said the king, thoughtfully rubbing his beard.  
  
"That's because you didn't tell him the you plan for him to marry one of them." The queen affectively burst his little, happy bubble.  
  
"Must you burst my bubble all the time?" asked the king, pouting.  
  
"Yes, now suck it up. We will have visitors in two days, and everything needs to be planned, and cleaned."  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
...Mean while, out in the City, a right embarrassing scene was taking place in one particular house...  
  
"Don't even start with me young lady."  
  
"But mama--"  
  
"Don't 'but mama' me. You're going and that's final." A stalky woman in her mid forties was shouting at her daughter who shouted right back. The reason? The daughter, Brooke, didn't want to do what her mother wanted. Now normally, it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but this is an exception.  
  
"Don't you want to work in the castle? You could see the royal family up close! Think of your future! And the money," she added thoughtfully.  
  
"Mama, I don't want to go serve some rotten old prince," Brooke whined, which is unacceptable, as that she was 18.  
  
"Anyone else would bend over backwards to have this job. No more discussions. Now go pack."  
  
"But--"  
  
"GO!"  
  
Brooke trudged to her room to pack. She shoved her 3 spare dresses and 4 aprons into a bag. She put in some underclothes, some stockings, and some toiletries. She kissed her mother good night and went to bed. She dreamt of a handsome prince dancing with her, twirling her around and asking to marry her. She smiled in her dream, and was about to accept when her mother made her get up to go to the castle. She kissed her mother goodbye this time, and then left.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Welcome my dear, to the palace. I'll show you your way to his highness' quarters. Breakfast is at 7:00 AM sharp. Lunch is at noon, and dinner is at 7:00 PM sharp. Here we are. Just clean, organize, take his orders, and do whatever you see fit. I'll see you in an hour to pick up his breakfast, or let him know it is time to dine, which ever he prefers. It is also your duty to wake him up I'll show you where you sleep real quickly. Okay, the cleaning tools are in the room off of yours. Good luck!"  
  
Brooke stood overwhelmed. The maid who had told her all that (very quickly I might add) and left just as quickly as she had spoken. Brooke looked around her room and decided it was too plain. (I'll just have to spruce it up) It had a bed, a wardrobe, an oil lamp, and a window. That's about it. She put her clothing into the wardrobe and grabbed some cleaning supplies. She wandered around for a bit, trying to decide where to start. The main room, holding some very nice cushions, was littered with trash, dirty clothes, and leftovers from past meals.  
  
Just about every room was like that. She came to another room and opened the door. It was a beautiful room. Everything was ornately carved, decorated with sapphires and obsidian. The curtains and draped were dark blue and black also.  
  
She crossed the room to open the curtained off section and tripped over a pile of dirty clothes. She fell through the curtains, flat on her face.  
  
"Ow, damn it," she squealed as she went down. She got back up, brushed her self off, and looked up, only to meet the eyes of the prince. "Shit," she gasped, her eyes getting wide. She quickly curtsied. "Sorry, your highness," she apologized quickly. She waited for his reply, but he just stared, and then blinked.  
  
"And you are?" the prince stood up, grabbing a robe, and closing it over his six-pack and chiseled features.  
  
"Brooke Oday, your highness." She curtsied again. "I'm your new personal maid."  
  
"Oh." The prince immediately lost interest. She was just another mindless maid. Their intelligence level never exceed sayings such as 'yes, your highness, no your majesty,' and he sighed. He knew it was because parents were majorly strict. They had the whole call-me-by-my-title-or-off-with- your-head thing going on. He started to walk away.  
  
"Um, your highness?" he stopped as a tiny voice called out to him. He turned around and raised his eyebrow. "Where might I relieve myself?" Brooke blushed as she asked the question, and the prince hid a smile. He pointed her in the direction and left.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Brooke rushed up the many flights of stairs, and though her life depended on it. It was her third day working in the castle, and the day the princess' arrive. If she didn't hurry, the prince would miss breakfast. She shuddered at the prospect. She got to the next flight of stairs and took them two at a time. She made it to the landing, and just before she started up the next flight, she slammed into someone.  
  
"Shit! Watch where you're going." She cried, as she hit the floor.  
  
"You have quite a mouth," said a masculine voice from above her. She looked up.  
  
"God damnit, what's next?" She grumbled, sighed, and stood up, curtsying at the same time. "I apologize most profusely, your highness," she said, trying to smile.  
  
"You should," he said, as thought he was the top of the world (which he is).  
  
"Well, you should still watch where you're going!" Brooke snapped at him before she even thought about it. The prince just looked shocked, and then grinned.  
  
"What are you smiling about, big stuff?" she asked irritably. The prince just shook his head. "You're the first maid who over talked back to me."  
  
Brooke looked mad, and then the color drained out of her face. "Oh my goddess!" she gasped. The prince just laughed.  
  
"Quit laughing! Its not funny, *your highness*." Brooke stopped and clamped her mouth shut. The prince just laughed harder.  
  
"What's you're name, anyway?" she asked warily.  
  
"Nicholas," he answered.  
  
"Well, Nick, if you don't get to lunch, I will lose my position, so hustle."  
  
"Oops!" he dashed away, and Brooke shook her head, moving back to his rooms. She cleaned up a bit, but was distracted. She looked out the window to see carriages pulling up and two girls getting out. (Let the hell begin) she thought. (And stop talking back to royalty. Or else!). She looked back at the spray bottle she had for cleaning.  
  
"Looks like it's just you and me, honeybunch," she muttered to it, and made her way to clean. 


	2. The Princesses from Down under, and not ...

Thanks for the reviews! Well, read on, and keep reviewing! Oh, and the ( )= whomever's P.O.V.'s thoughts.   
  
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"Maid? Maid? What the hell is that girl's name?"  
  
Nicholas flew through his rooms looking for Brooke.   
  
"Girl? Maid?"  
  
He flew into Brooke's rooms, only to find her half dressed, in her corset and skirt. Brooke screamed and tried to cover herself up.   
  
"Shit!" Nicolas cried. "I've looked for you all over! You're supposed to be where I need you! Not wandering around, taking off your clothes." He shouted at her as though she had performed a cardinal sin, not being where he need her.  
  
"Who do you think you are, coming into my room? I'm a freaking girl! You might not realize this, but we change our clothes also." Brooke shouted right back.  
  
"DON"T SHOUT AT ME! You're a maid! You're not supposed to talk back to me," bellowed Nicholas.  
  
"Don't shout at ME! You're the asshole who started it! What do you need anyway?" Brooke waved her arms around in frustration, forgetting she was half dressed.  
  
Daren took a deep breath and counted to 10 backwards. "The Princesses will be here in just a few moments, so I need your help to get dressed," Nicholas ground it out, as calmly as he could.  
  
"Fine, but you're going to have to do something for me first." Brooke almost grinned at how hard he was trying to speak calmly.   
  
Nicholas stared. (What on earth could she want? She's a maid!) "What?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"You're going to have to have to hand me my dress. Its behind you." Nicholas' face turned about 50 shades of red. He finally realized that he was in very close quarters to a half dressed female. However, that also made him register it into his brain, so he looked her over. His eyes raked her 5'8" form, and he suddenly couldn't breath.  
  
"How old are you anyway?" he asked.  
  
"18. You're 21 right?"   
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"That's good. So anyway, Nick, are you going to hand me my dress or just ogle me for a half hour?"  
  
Nick gulped and handed it over. He told her that she had 5 minutes to get dressed, and then she had to help him. She agreed, and then he left. She sighed, and turned to the floor length mirror that she had found in the basement and put in her room. She slipped on the dress, which was a sky blue color. It had a scoop neck, three quarter sleeves, and grabbed an apron. It was plain white, but had a blue pocket, and was trimmed in blue. She fixed her hair into a ponytail, and scrutinized her reflection. She didn't look too bad. Her hair, golden blonde in color, was wavy in her ponytail, and her cheeks held a natural blush.   
  
  
  
She walked out of her room to meet Nick, and found him in his vast, walk in closet, trying to figure out what to wear.   
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"May I present, their royal highness', Princess Renee and Princess Roxanne." A pompous windbag of a man called out to the ceiling of the great hall, as though hoping the Goddess would hear him. Two young ladies stepped into the hall, both 5'6", or close to it, one with brown hair, and one with raven black hair. They were both thin, and both had that I'm-looking-down-my-nose-at-you-so-pay-attention-to-me look.   
  
They looked around, and spotted the prince. They walked over, and held out their hands. The prince kissed them, and bowed. "It's a pleasure," he said courteously.   
  
They spotted Brooke, standing a little behind the prince, waiting for an order, should he give one.   
  
"You, girl, get our bags, and bring them to our rooms." Brooke hesitated, for a millisecond, and then nodded, and gave the traditional 'Yes your highness'.'   
  
She turned around and told one of the footmen around her to do as the princess asked. He nodded and went to retrieve the luggage.  
  
"Why couldn't you do it?" asked Renee. "Are you too good to handle our luggage?"  
  
Brooke was shocked, but her devious mind shot into action. "No, your highness. However, I am the prince's personal maid. I only receive orders from him, and do his bidding."  
  
"You're a maid. You do anyone's bidding." Roxanne butt herself into the mini disagreement.  
  
"I'm sorry, your highness, but I only do the prince's bidding."  
  
"No, you do anyone's bidding if they say so!"  
  
"Your highness, I apologize, but I--"  
  
"Only do my bidding." The prince cut into the fight smoothly. "I apologize for not warning you, but she only takes orders from me. I have a problem with punctuality, and she fixes it for me. Cleanliness is also a problem apparently," added the Prince thoughtfully.  
  
"Oh, your highness, you are so modest!" the two girls giggled, shot Brooke a nasty look, and went off the converse with the king and queen.  
  
The prince made to move away, but Brooke caught his arm. "Thanks," she squeaked. Nick smiled at her.   
  
"No problem."  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Do you make it a habit to run into people?"  
  
For the millionth time since she had arrived, Brooke was knocked flat by someone she ran into. It's not like it was her fault, people around here just happened to have a habit of being where ever she was, in the same spot she was about to occupy, actually. And 'people around here' mostly ended up being Nick. (I really need to try to call him Prince Nicholas. I'm going to get beheaded or something.)  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, your highness. You're ego must be blocking your vision." She curtsied and left the room, grinning at his shocked expression. "Later Nicky!"  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Later Nicky!"  
  
Nick watched the girl saunter away from him. Who in the Hell did she think she was? He was the prince around here, and she completely ignored the fact. Everyone else fell to their knees around him. How come she didn't? It was just confusing. (Whatever. Stupid maid. The princess are much more predictable. I think I'll go talk to them)  
  
He walked out of his room to find the princesses, and found them in one of the halls, wandering around. He caught up to them, and they both smiled and curtsied.   
  
"You're highness, it is a pleasure." Roxanne took a step closer. He black hair falling in silky waves. She dared to slip her arm around his, and asked if he could show her the gardens. He agreed to do so, and they left Renee, to enjoy the flower gardens. He smirked, and thought about how this was what he was used to: girls fawning and throwing themselves at him. (I can have anyone) he thought about it, and subconsciously nodded. Yep, he could have any of the girls. And he frequently did. He was one of those tall dark and handsome types. 6' 2", tan skin, and dark brown hair and eyes.   
  
"Your highness, you have such lovely gardens!" Roxanne smiled graciously and batted her eyelashes. The Prince grinned back, and nodded his head. They walked a little farther, and when they hit the really exotic flowers they heard a sound.   
  
"What is that?" Roxanne asked, suspicious. Nick motioned for her to stay quiet, and follow him, she did so, and the noise became more audible, it was a girl singing.  
  
{"Every day is so wonderful  
  
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe  
  
Now and then, I get insecure  
  
From all the fame, I'm so ashamed  
  
I am beautiful no matter what they say  
  
Words can't bring me down  
  
I am beautiful in every single way  
  
Yes, words can't bring me down  
  
So don't you bring me down today?}  
  
Nick looked surprised at the beautiful singing. Roxanne was about to say something, but his look silenced her.  
  
{To all your friends, you're delirious  
  
So consumed in all your doom  
  
Trying hard to fill the emptiness  
  
The piece is gone and the puzzle undone  
  
That's the way it is  
  
You are beautiful no matter what they say  
  
Words won't bring you down  
  
You are beautiful in every single way  
  
Yes, words won't bring you down  
  
Don't you bring me down today...}  
  
"Who is it?" Roxanne mouthed. Nick shrugged, and stepped a little closer.  
  
{No matter what we do  
  
(No matter what we do)  
  
No matter what they say  
  
(No matter what they say)  
  
We're the song inside the tune  
  
Full of beautiful mistakes  
  
And everywhere we go  
  
(Everywhere we go)  
  
The sun will always shine  
  
(Sun will always shine)  
  
And tomorrow we might wake on the other side  
  
All the other times}  
  
He caught sight of the thin figure, and his mouth dropped open. It couldn't possibly be the maid, could it? Apparently, it could.  
  
{We are beautiful no matter what they say  
  
Yes, words won't bring us down  
  
We are beautiful no matter what they say  
  
Yes, words can't bring us down  
  
Don't you bring me down today  
  
Don't you bring me down today  
  
Don't you bring me down today}  
  
Nick stepped closer, compelled by the end of the song to move forward, and a twig snapped. Brooke shot up, looked horrified that some one had heard her, and apologized to them. As soon as she thought she had been polite enough, she shot back to the castle.   
  
"I don't like that girl." Nick looked genuinely surprised that Roxanne was there, having forgotten about her after he saw Brooke. He shook his head.  
  
"Lets go back to the castle."  
  
They headed back to the castle, and he contemplated his predicament. There was something wrong with that Brooke girl. He seemed to run into her all the time, and didn't seem to mind. He was in the company of a beautiful princess, but could only focus on her when she was singing. He inwardly frowned. She was a maid. Nothing more. (I hope)  
  
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Okie dokie! Time to review! Oh, and if you didn't catch that, that was Christina Aguilera, Beautiful. Why it was in there? I really don't know, but I was listening to it at the time, so that *probably* had something to do with it! -Cheers- Spiff 


	3. The First Big Fight

Sorry it took me sooooo long, but it was one thing after another! I might not be able to update as much as I would like for a while because Stanford 9/ Star testing is going on and practice is going really late. Anyways, thanks to Boogalaga, for all the great advice, keep it up! And to Katsiebee: my favorite events are the 800 and the 1600. (That's what I always run) I'm lucky I haven't had to run the 2 mile yet. ^^ It's so monotonous!  
  
Once Upon A Washcloth  
  
Chapter 3: The first big fight  
  
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"Your Highness? Are you in here?" Brooke searched through the Prince's rooms, making sure he wasn't in there. She wanted to clean, but didn't want him in the area because he had the annoying habit of being in the company of the Two Princesses. In the past week, they had driven Brooke to the verge of insanity. They were constantly asking her for something. Actually, they were asking the prince to get her to get something for them. As confusing as that sounds, it's true. At least they had learned that Brooke doesn't take orders from anyone but the prince and his parents.   
  
Brooke smirked at the thought, and made her way to the washroom. She was in desperate need of rug cleaner, as that the prince had knocked over his soup bowl this morning, and made a very lovely stain.   
  
She opened the door and shrieked. She slammed the door shut and ran for her life. She ran down 7 flights of stairs threw open the doors to run into the kitchen, trying to find her friend Brett. He took a look at her face and stopped what he was doing.   
  
"What's the matter?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"My eyes!! I can't see! I think my eyes have been burned out!" Brooke yelled at him, but not really at him, she was just yelling at him to add to the effect.  
  
"May I ask why, you are suddenly legally blind?"  
  
"Because I just saw the Prince and Renee making out!"  
  
"Oh, just making out? It isn't that bad." Brett turned back to his work, which happened to be peeling potatoes.   
  
"I hope you know, that it was NOT just making out, it was making out on the verge of going all the way, I hope you know." Brooke stated this fact as though she was informing the police of a juicy detail about a murder.   
  
"Oh, well, get used to it honey, it happens quite a lot." Brett looked her way, but didn't stop peeling. "He's quite a lady's man, if you catch my drift. He can seduce just about any girl that walks up to him... and is still breathing. That usually helps."  
  
Brooke laughed at his sad attempt to make a joke. She still wasn't happy that they had to pick her cleaning closet of all places. She also grimaced. Princes Renee? (I thought he was going for Roxanne. Oh well. It's none of my business who he seduces.)  
  
"My advice to you," continued Brett, "Would be to knock on all doors before entering. He might be in a bad mood or something. You don't want to get fired over some stupid thing as catching the Prince Making out with the Princesses"  
  
"Wow, thanks for the advice Brett. I'm leaving now. I'll just wait for them to be done." She did as she said, and went back to the rooms. She expected them to still be in the closet, but as she walked in, she found Nick lying on his bed reading a book. He looked up as she came in, and then went back to his book with out saying anything. She blushed and went to get the rug cleaner.   
  
As she started to clean the rug in the main room, with the cool cushions, Nick walked in and flopped down on one of the items mentioned.   
  
"Sorry, you walked in us, but you know, you should knock before you come in."   
  
"Yes you're highness. I'll remember that." Brooke went back to scrubbing the rug with vigor, and Nick just waited. When she didn't say anything else, he raised an eyebrow.   
  
"What's up with you?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, your Highness," she answered.  
  
"Well, normally you have some comment to add, or something rude to say. You've been here at least 2 weeks, and you've never had nothing else to say." The   
  
Prince said this rather bluntly, but it was what Brooke was expecting.   
  
"I'm sorry for that, your highness."  
  
"Pssh. I was wondering when you'd come to your senses and stop acting as if you wanted to be beheaded. This is more like it. A passive maid. Now get back to work."   
  
Brooke went back to cleaning and waited until he had left the room. Then, she let out a huge sigh, as though she had been holding her breath the whole time she was talking to the prince. Which didn't happen, because she distinctly remembered taking a breath between her replies and her your majesties.   
  
She shook her head, and looked around. The place was a mess, but it was just as it normally was. It seemed as though every time she cleaned it, she would walk away for 2 seconds and the prince would have it all messy again. (It doesn't matter if he's nice enough when he talks to me, but that guy is a jerk! His attitude it just crap. Oh well. What can you expect from a prince? Their life revolves around giving orders, being fawned over by ladies, and hosting tournaments. Speaking of tournament, wasn't the prince saying something about a tournament to the Princesses from Hell? Hmm. I'll have to ask Brett about that. I wonder where the prince has gone. He usually doesn't go away for very long, because he always needs something done. Who knows where he--"  
  
"MAID!"   
  
Brooke snapped back to reality as the Prince shouted at her.   
  
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm daydreaming?"  
  
"Ah ha. I knew you couldn't go for long with out saying something rude to Me." the prince as though he had won a bet for a million dollars.   
  
"Damn. Ok, you win, what do you want?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, um... Crap! You made me forget. I'll be back." The prince went to go retrace his steps in hope of remembering what he had forgotten, but his mission was in vain. He retraced his steps many a time, but could not remember for the life of him what he was going to say. He could only remember that it was important. He walked back to his rooms where Brooke was rinsing off the rug in a bowl of water.  
  
"Remember yet?  
  
"No. I've tried, but I can't so it. I'm hopeless."  
  
"Ah, so you've finally realized it huh?" As hard as she tried to keep this comment at a bare minimum of sound, barely above a whisper, the prince still heard it.  
  
"You are the rudest person I've ever met. I hope you know that. Girls are supposed to swoon at the sight of me and grovel at my feet."   
  
"Terribly sorry your highness, but I don't grovel, and I don't swoon at the sight, let alone at the sight of a stuck up prince!" Brooke broke her resolve to keep quiet and shouted at him, red faced, and upset.  
  
"Well, *sorry. * Apparently, you are an abnormal girl, who doesn't deserve anymore of my attention!" Nick stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. "Oh shit." He stormed back in, and threw a bag of money at Brooke. You need to buy new dresses with that. Queen's orders." He stormed back out.  
  
Brook looked around, feeling lost. She had just had a fight with the prince of the kingdom, and all he had done was said he didn't want to give her anymore of his time. He didn't condemn her to death, and he didn't fire her. Why didn't he? Who knows, but all she knew was that she still had her job, she had money to buy dresses, and she merely had to step lightly when she got around the prince. He couldn't do anything worse than that, because the queen wanted her to stay. She helped the prince be on time. What could he do to her?  
  
A maid walked into the room, and mentioned something to Brooke, and left. Brooke just stood there, and dropped to her knees. "noooooooo!" she wailed at the top of her lungs. "I Can't POSSIBLY have to serve the princesses from hell!!"  
  
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Review please! Thanks mucho amounts!! 


	4. Close Call

Woot! This is my Fourth chapter! Can you believe it? I'm blowing off writing the story I'm writing for her, for you, so be happy! I actually have 12 reviews. That may not seem like a lot, but it is ^^. Anyways, thanks again Boogalaga.   
  
Once Upon A Washcloth  
  
Chapter 4: Close Call  
  
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"Hurry up, you stupid wench!"   
  
"My tea's going to be cold by time you're here!"  
  
"Don't look at me that way."  
  
"You don't deserve to even hold this position."  
  
"French braid my hair before the prince comes!"  
  
"Tie the straps on my dress."  
  
"Bring these dresses to the cleaning maids. Now. And be quick."  
  
This is only a taste of what Brooke had to go through this week. The Prince didn't look at her for 4 days, and when he did look at her, he was smirking. On those rare occasions that she caught him smirking in her direction, she glared her hatred at him. It was a mild suprise when he didn't burst into flame from the intensity.  
  
Now, she was clumsily traveling down many a flight of stairs, while balancing a very large pile of laundry between her arms. She was doing pretty well, when the inevitable struck. She ran into somebody. It wouldn't have been that bad, except that when she fell backwards, the clothes flew into the air, and landed with excellent accuracy on the person she ran into.  
  
"Please let it be a maid, please let it be a maid." She chanted these words to herself, hoping against hope that it was not the person she thought it was. She peaked under her eyelashes, and saw just whom she didn't want to.  
  
She slowly stood up, and made slow work of straightening her dress. Her dress was a forest green color, with lighter green trim around the neckline, the sleeves, and the hem. It dropped to the floor, and had a square neckline, showing just a tad bit of cleavage, and had inch thick straps. It was a hot day, and she didn't think she could stand wearing three quarter sleeves, along with a corset. Corsets, luckily, weren't that bad for her to war, she was naturally thin, so really, it just acted as a modern day push up bra.   
  
Eventually, she tucked some stray hairs behind her ear (She had recently cut her hair, so it looked cuter when she put it in a ponytail, which was how she had it now.) and turned to the Prince, whom she had run into.   
  
"Good evening, your highness." She looked at him, still on the floor, and sat down on the landing, a few stairs up from where he was resting. He looked at her.  
  
"Shouldn't you be working?"  
  
"I don't want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day."   
  
"Huh?" The prince had a thoroughly confused look on his face   
  
"Never mind." Brooke picked up the clothes on the floor, and started picking up the ones all over the prince.  
  
She finished picking up the clothes and headed down the stairs. She got down 3 steps before the apron fell. It was her own, but she had decided to bring it down to be washed with the Hell Sister's clothes, that were she didn't have to come back.  
  
"You dropped something." Nick's tone was taunting, begging for her to talk back to him. That just annoyed Brooke, but she kept her temper in check. For a few moments at least.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Well, it's on the floor now."  
  
"No shit Sherlock. You want to pick it up for me?"   
  
"Nope that would be your job not mine. I need to lord over you. Duh."  
  
"It was a rhetorical question! Gawd you're royal hiney-ness, what you got up on the wrong side of the bed? Have a bad night with Roxanne?" as soon as it was out, she slapped her hand over her mouth, and backed up, abandoning the clothes in her arms. Not only did she not want to bother with the, but she hopped the Prince would have trouble getting over it. His face immediately turned stony, and he stood up slowly. The look he was giving her made it so she couldn't move. (I have to move, I have to move) she chanted this to herself, getting more scared as the moments ticked on.   
  
She used all of her will power and succeeded in wrenching her foot from the ground, and immediately flew down the flight of stairs. She got to a landing, and realized that she was in the middle of the castle. (Up or down?) She picked down, and flew down the stairs. She looked back once, and saw that Nick was just walking. She got to the gardens, and continued her sprint. She flew into the rosebushes, hoping it would slow nick down when he eventually got to her. She turned around, and saw he was only about 3 feet away.   
  
"Is this a freaking slasher movie or WHAT?!" she shrieked at him, which earned her a very confused look, before it was replaced by the malicious one. All he did was take a shortcut anyway, and ran after her. He only walked because he had wanted to scare her. He smirked on the inside. Apparently it had worked.   
  
He caught up to her and swung her around, making her get hit by the thorns of the rose bushes. "Don't EVER talk to me like that again." He grabbed her arm tighter. And she winced. "Got it?"  
  
She nodded her head and he released her. She ran back to the castle, and changed into a 3/4 sleeve dress so nobody would see the bruise.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
Three weeks later, she was still serving the Hell Sisters.  
  
"WENCH! Come here!"  
  
Brooke sighed and went to Roxanne's room. "What do you require your highness?"  
  
"I can't remember. That's the problem. Just stand there until I remember."  
  
"Chickety China, the Chinese chicken. Had a drum stick and your brain stopped tickin'"  
  
"What the hell?" once again, Brooke earned herself a confused look. These types of sayings just popped into her head. She had no control what so ever.  
  
...A half hour later...  
  
"Remember yet?"  
  
"Nope"  
  
"Think faster."  
  
... 2 hours after that...  
  
"Stop humming, I can't concentrate."  
  
"I'm bored to tears here! It's been two and half hours!"  
  
"Whatever, I'm still thinking."  
  
"Okay, I can't stand it any longer."   
  
"What?"  
  
"Bye Roxanne." Brooke walked away, feeling very stiff after standing for 2 1/2 hours. She made it up the flight of stairs to Nick's rooms, completely ignoring Roxanne's shriek that she was Princess Roxanne, not just Roxanne.   
  
She got tree steps in the room and collapsed. She wasn't really tired, just her legs gave out from uselessness. To her surprise, she didn't hit the ground. Someone had grabbed her before she fell. She was now resting against a very hard, muscly chest. (Well that rules our Roxanne and Renee) she looked up to see the prince supporting her. She gaped at him.   
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't let me fall."  
  
"Well duh. It would ruin your pretty face." She looked at him in surprise. She leaned forward and smelt his breath. She sat back again, not realizing that he had seated her on the bed.   
  
"You've been drinking," she accused.  
  
"Uh yeah. One of the chefs gave it to me to relax me, apparently, I drank to much." He laughed to himself and leaned forward. So come on baby, let's go."  
  
"Huh?" her eyes widened as he leaned forward and captured her lips. He pulled her forward and she punched him in the chest. He let her go and she stumbled backwards till she hit the floor.   
  
"Or we could do it there." He fell off the bed with a thump, and while he was trying to get him self back, up she escaped to her room. She locked the door and went to her bed. She heard pounding on the door.   
  
"Open up!" he shouted at her.  
  
"Go find Renee!" She shouted back. The pounding stopped and she could imagine him considering it. She heard footsteps walk away, and she sighed. "Close call." She fell back on the bed, and hoped that he would have a major hangover when he got up. (I wonder why he needed some alcohol to relax him. I'll have to ask him about the tomorrow. Gawd that guy is a loser. I hope he doesn't get too mad that I walked out on Roxanne. Oh well. He can take his opinion and shove it up his ass for all I care.)  
  
She fell asleep, feeling very good at the thought of Nick having enough thoughts in his rain to shove up his ass. Little did she know that he would have many a thought in his head in the morning.  
  
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Okay homies! Review. I know, it was a loser chapter, but I had to fill in the space between my next thought! Oh, and sorry it took SO FREAKING LONG!! 


	5. The Ball Gets Rolling

Once Upon A Washcloth  
  
Chapter 5: The Ball Gets Rolling  
  
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The next morning, Brooke woke up and dressed quickly. She washed her face and hands, bound her hair into a high ponytail, and bounced into Nick's room. She found him snoring loudly, sprawled in his back, mouth open, with an empty bottle in his left hand. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and went to fill the pitcher by his bed with water. She walked back over to him, and emptied the whole lot of it on his face. She grinned as he sat up quickly, and then broke into laughter as he grabbed his head in pain.  
  
He yelled something at her, but she couldn't hear, as that she was still laughing.  
  
"Stop the noise!" he groaned and rolled over, looking as though he was going to die.  
  
She sobered and walked over to him. "That's what you get for drinking so freaking much!" he glared at her, and she walked away.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked, and then covered his mouth, feeling sick.  
  
"To get you something for you're headache and stomach ache." He merely nodded, and she left. He sat there, wallowing in self-pity until she returned. He looked like a happy puppy as she walked in. well, a sick happy puppy.   
  
She stopped about a foot from his reach, and made it very clear that she wasn't doing this for him; she was doing it for answers. He groaned and stuck his hand out. She put the remedy in his hand, and he gulped it down quickly. Almost immediately, his headache lessened. He debated asking Brooke what was in the concoction, and then decided he didn't want to know. He still felt like crap, but the blood wasn't pounding in his brain. He sighed and fell back on the bed.  
  
"Now, what did you want again?"  
  
"Well, first, I want to stop serving the Hell Sis- the Princesses, and to come back here. Your room is a mess and you've been late to lunch 3 days in a row."  
  
"Okay, I can handle that, IF you behave and IF you learn how to hold your tongue."  
  
"Yes your highness." Nick grinned at her, feeling powerful over the massive stomachache. "Now, I want answers."  
  
He blinked, urging her to go on.  
  
"You said last night that the cook gave to alcohol to relax you, but you drank to much." he grimaced. "What did you need to relax for?"  
  
"Oh, nothing important. Just that my father is holding a ball for every eligible girl in the kingdom and I have to pick one to marry."  
  
"Oh." Brooke was stunned. Every girl? Well, without the married ones, it wouldn't be that bad, but every girl in the kingdom? "Why are Rox- the Princesses here now instead of coming for the ball?"  
  
"I think my father wants them on the top of my list to be considered."  
  
"What about peasants and maids? Can they come?"  
  
Well, if you're talking about you, you have to come. My mother will give you money for a ball gown, and you'll be there in case I need anything. You know, take my orders and shit." He answered with a shrug.  
  
"No, I meant maids from around the kingdom, but that's cool."  
  
"Oh, well, yes they're invited."  
  
"Okie dokie. Well, how long away is this ball thing?"  
  
"Oh, two weeks."  
  
"TWO WEEKS!" she gaped at him. How could everything be ready it time? That's a good question. I should ask him that. "How can everything be ready in time?"  
  
"Well, you know that large quantity of servants we have? They are actually going to be put to work!"  
  
"Oh wow. I LOVE the sarcasm."  
  
He winked at her. "I figured you would."  
  
She was still confused. "What am I going to do to help to get ready?"  
  
He held up his hands, putting up a finger when he listed items. "you're going to help me get my room clean, get my clothes together, help the princesses while they're getting fitted, help them get dressed, act as a message carrier, run specific errands for me, run messages for the parentals, and many other things. Have fun."

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Sorry that this took SO long! I know that it is extremely unsatifying, but school's almost over, so i might be able to update more. i appologize again. i'm thinking about starting a new story though, it wont be up for a long time if i do do it, because i want it typed and finished, tht way if i hat road block, it wont affect your reading! anyways, thanks for sticking with me throught this huge break, and i hope to update more often! Cheers, Spiff


	6. Two Weeks To Hell, Part 1: Getting the R...

Once Upon A Washcloth  
  
Chapter 6: Two Weeks to Hell, Part 1: Getting the Room Clean  
  
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Brooke's first job in getting ready for the Ball was getting Nick's room clean. Now, this made absolutely no sense to Brooke, but that's what he ordered, and she was at his command. Sadly. She went to bad that night, thinking that his room wouldn't be too bad. Sure, he had been living on his own, and his room looked like a disaster area, but she had cleaned things messier than that, and could handle it.  
  
What she didn't know, is that on those days leading up to the ball, being the wonderful prince that he is, Nick just HAD to get the room messy everyday no matter what. Brooke honestly couldn't figure out how he did it. She would get the room nice and clean, which usually took her until noon, and she would leave the rooms to eat lunch. When she got back from her extremely quick lunch, she would find the room as it had been that morning.   
  
And another thing. She would clean it up, go to bed, and in the morning, it would be messy! Cleaning the room twice a day, along with everything else she had to do was a hassle. It took a bunch of time and effort, and the prince never said anything. She knew that he didn't have to thank her for cleaning up, hell, it was her job, but he could at lest mention something when he walked into he messy room. He always jus looked at the mess as though it belonged here. Eventually, Brooke started to think that he resented having his room cleaned up. Maybe Nick and filth just went together.   
  
She sighed and thought about his future wife. She felt bad for her, and decided if she met her, she would try to warn her in someway that wouldn't offend the lady. She had found that giving advice to a noble was not a good idea. She didn't see so much wrong with it. I mean crap, servants or nobles, they were still humans.   
  
She laid back on the floor, abandoning her cleaning for the moment. Thinking about how the servants were treated like shit always depressed her. She knew that that is how it had been for ever, and nobody would ever change it. It still wasn't her fair though. It wasn't her fault that she was born into a lower class family. At least the didn't have to live on the streets. She had always envied the prince, him being able to do what he wanted, to buy what he wanted. It just wasn't fair. No it isn't fair, she thought. But that's the way it is.   
  
She sat back up and looked around. She felt lost, as though she was in a jungle, and all of the clothes were the trees and animals. She would never be able to conquer the jungle, it would still thrive, and she would be lost. She but her head in her hands, trying to keep herself from crying.   
  
It must be near my time of month. I never get weepy unless it is. She looked up as the prince and Princess Roxanne almost fell into the room, latched onto eachother by the mouth. Brooke just sat there, looking interested, as they ignored her and moved towards the bed. Brooke got up, gathering the small pile of clothes, and pile them in the corner of the room. She moved back to where she had been sitting, and got her cleaning supplies, and moved to the full length mirror. She dipped her towel in a solution, and cleaned the finger prints off the mirror.   
  
She moved to the other side of the room and gathered more clothes, throwing them on the small pile she had made. Nick and Roxanne still hadn't realized she was there, which shocked her. She grinned mischievously as she had just decided to make it an experiment. Just how long could they go without realizing she was there? She moved to the outer room and picked up some bottles that made the prince's hair look like it does.   
  
She put them on the dresser right next to the bed, where they belonged, and where Nick and Roxanne were currently feeling eachother up. She started humming, ignoring the couple on the bed. She rolled her eyes. Man, this guy really was a player. She doubted that he had even bothered trying courting the princesses before taking them to his bed. She grinned. She knew she would never do that with out the guy wooing and courting her. She sighed, wishing that her true love would appear.   
  
She shook her head, and picked up the last of the clothes. She looked around shocked. She had finished cleaning the room as she was thinking about her love. She peeked into the bedroom again, and was surprised to find them still clothed. Well, if they aren't going to do anything serious, and are going to drag it out if they are, I don't want to be around to see it. She put her fingers in her mouth and produced a piercing whistle. Nick and Roxanne looked around, startled out of their make out session.   
  
Brooke just rolled her eyes. "Welcome back to reality. Try to stay there for another half hour. It might do you some good. No, don't look at me like that. I've been in the room cleaning the whole time you've been here."   
  
Shocked looks came from the directions of the make outers. "Yeah, I was in the room. You guys are really annoying when you make out. Oh, and you suck at it."  
  
"I'm going to ignore the pun there," was all that Roxanne said as she straightened out her dress, looking the perfect image of superiority.   
  
"We suck, huh? What? You think you could do better?" Nick asked, a smug look on his face.  
  
"Yeah, I think I could." Brooke matched his smug smirk inch for inch, and grinned as his fell off his face, his eyes getting wide. She flipped her hair, and walked out of the room.  
  
"You do know that she just took up your challenge don't you?" Roxanne stated matter-of-factly.   
  
"Yes I do, but the question is, does she?" Roxanne shook her head, and left Nick in his room, brooding over what had just happened. Slowly, a grin worked its self on to his face. If she does realize what she said, then he would take full advantage of it. If she didn't realize she had accepted, he would surprise her by taking full advantage. He grinned outright. This would be fun. It had been a long time since he had even thought about messing with a maid.   
  
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I know that this one was updated really quickly, and I hope you are all happy. However, don't get used to t, because I can't guarantee that I will this quick. At best, I hope to get one chapter out a week, maybe faster. Probably slower. Ü Anywho, thanks for reading this one, and don't forget to review! I live of 'em! 


	7. Two Weeks to Hell, Part 2: Help the Prin...

Once Upon a Washcloth   
  
Chapter 7: Two Weeks to Hell, Part 2: Help the Princesses  
  
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Brooke slammed down the stairs, furious. She stomped across the landing to the Hell Sisters' room, and threw open the door. She stepped inside, and glared around inside, looking for the occupants. What caused this anger, you ask? Well, it all started this morning…  
  
… Brooke curtsied to the prince, her skirts sweeping wide. His hand reached for her gloved one, and she gave it. His hand went to her waist, while Brooke held her skirts. Their other hands clasped, and they were off: twirling around the room, forgetting everything else.   
  
They stepped onto the terrace, and took in the warm night air. The prince bent close, to ask her name, and Brooke opened her mouth the answer—  
  
Brooke woke to a body settling on top of her softly. She opened her mouth to scream, but was cut off by a warm mouth on top of hers. She almost choked on the scream, but forgot it almost instantly, as the body on top of her deepened its kiss. Her hands unconsciously went around his neck, and their bodies melded.   
  
'Man, this is nice. Wait a sec… holy shit!' Brooke snapped out of her trance, and pushed the body off of her. She heard a muffled "oomph" and she sat up.   
  
"Who the HELL do you think you are?!"  
  
"Well, actually, I think I'm Prince Nicholas, heir to the throne."  
  
"Oh crap. Wait, that still gives you no right to force yourself on me." Brooke glared at the prince, ignoring the thoughts of how great of a kisser he is. 'Stop it!'  
  
"Well, as I recall, all I did was start it. You responded pretty much out of free will." Nick stated this fact, and then sat back, looking proud of himself.  
  
"Well, why the hell did you kiss me anyway?"  
  
"Because, you said you could make out better than the Princesses. I figured I would test you. I suggest you get dressed, because the Princesses are expecting you. Oh, and I'm not through with you." With that said, nick sauntered out of the room, and left a furious Brooke, sitting on her bed. She screamed in frustration, and got up to get dressed. Once she figured she was presentable, she stormed down to the Hell Sisters' room.   
  
'Who does he think he is? I don't care if he answered that question. He was just being a smart ass. He actually took that as an invitation? Well, what a dumb ass.'  
  
"What got your panties in a bunch?" Brooke dropped out of her thoughts in a hurry, having only caught "panties" in that little question. She turned to Renee, and asked her to repeat it.  
  
"I said, why are you in such a huff today?"   
  
"Oh, nothing, your highness." Brooke plastered on a fake smile, and decided she would deal with Prince Ass Hole later. Her first act of helping the Hell Sisters was to apologize for walking out last time. Which she did, sincerely sorry that she had lost her temper. Second, was to take noted on all of the little things that had to do with their dresses. The Royal Seamstress was coming today to take measurements, and would continue every day, save weekends, to make sure that they would fit.   
  
This seemingly simple task took two hours.   
  
"And I think that lavender, orchid, or light plum would look good. Write that down." Renee turned back to Brooke after looking through her wardrobe. "Do you have that?"  
  
Brooke nodded her yes, and then turned back to the full piece of paper. 'now, what to do with that Ass Hole of a prince…' yellow shawl '…what would pay him back without getting me in trouble?...' pink flowers '…well, I could always—no…' blue flowers would look good too '…I could seduce him… YES!'   
  
Roxanne stopped in the middle of her description of her dress, which included a yellow shawl, pink and blue flowers, and was starting on the dress, when she heard Brooke's triumphant "yes!"   
  
"Were you even paying attention to me?" asked Roxanne, shocked.  
  
"Yes, actually. Here is everything that you said." She showed the slip to Roxanne, and after gaining her approval, went back to scheming her plan to get back Nick.  
  
A few hours later, Brooke went back upstairs, and changed into an old dress of her sister's. She had always liked more revealing clothes, and Brooke couldn't for the life of her, figure out why. However, she needed it for this plan. She examined her self in the mirror. She had on a Red Wine colored dress. It had three quarter sleeves, but the belled out at the elbow, for about 4 inches. It went to the floor, and had a loose, flowing skirt. It was skin tight, until a little below the waist line, and dipped really low at the neckline.   
  
She pulled her hair half up, and half down with a black ribbon, and then walked out side her room. She moved around the room, looking for Nick, and found him standing at the window. 'Let Operation Seduction begin.'  
  
He turned around, when she coughed, and then when back to the window, having only glanced at her.  
  
'Wait for it, wait for it,' she chanted to herself. '3…2…1…bingo.'  
  
Nick spun back around, suddenly, having realized when she was wearing, and his jaw dropped. His eyes raked her form, slowly moving up and down, and he stepped forward. By the shock she could see in his eyes, she could tell that he didn't even realize that he had moved.  
  
She, however, stepped forward, and swung her hips as she did so. He gulped, and she moved forward again, and again. As she got closer, and stepped backwards until she had him against the wall. She snaked her arms around his neck, and pushed her self against him. He gulped again, and she got on her tip toes to whisper in his ear.  
  
"How do you like my outfit?"   
  
"I, uh, it's um… nice." She grinned at his attempt to answer, as she kissed her way from his ear, along his jaw, and stopped above his lips, ghosting hers above his.  
  
"I thought so. Now, just this once…" She leaned up, and just barely touched his lips, when she pulled back. To her surprise, Nick followed her, and captured her lips. Electricity shot through her. At least, that's how she would have described it. She realized what she was doing, and pulled back. Nick made a strangled sound, and reached for her again, but Brooke stepped backwards, a smug look making its way onto her face.  
  
"Well, my dear prince. How do you like it?" Brooke would have paid all the money she had, to have a painting done of what his face looked like just then. It started confused, moved to shocked, angered, and then embarrassed.  
  
When he finally regained his voice, he opened his mouth.   
  
"You will pay for this."   
  
Brooke raised her eyebrow.   
  
"You will!"   
  
The other eyebrow went up.  
  
"Just leave! And believe me, I'll find a way!"  
  
The first thought he had, was to fire her. She'd done enough to himself AND the princesses. Almost immediately after though, that traitor part of his brain surfaced.  
  
You wouldn't fire her. She's a great kisser.  
  
Yeah, but she kissed me without my permission.  
  
Sound familiar, Einstein?  
  
Yeah well, I'm the prince  
  
And she's a maid. Your point?  
  
How come you can't side with me?  
  
Because, I'm the TRAITOR side of your brain. You're the logical side. I have one word. B-O-R-I-N-G.  
  
Yeah, well, she's a Freaking MAID! I shouldn't be confused about whether to fire her or not.  
  
But you are. Face it.  
  
Nick turned back to the window. 'This is major confusing. I think I'll keep her around for now.' he grinned. 'Besides, she IS a great kisser… and I'm not quite sure yet whether she's better than the princesses yet or not.'  
  
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Ok, I updated finally! And I have a quote for you! Yay!! It's from The Emperor's New Groove, a Disney movie and a great one, I might add. I thought of it when I was thinking about the fight he was having with himself. Anyways, review, cuz I like them, wink and just keep being patient with me! I'm ever so thankful.   
  
(Shoulder Devil)  
  
"Don't listen to him! He's trying to lead you down the path of righteousness. I'm gonna lead you down the path that rocks!" 


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